Sunday Roundup for January 1, 2012

Fireworks (and a lot of smoke) filled the air late Saturday, during the fireworks display capping "Austin's New Year" celebration.

Photo by Ian Crawford/KUT News

Happy New Year! A warm start to 2012 brought crowds to Auditorium Shores for ring out the old year, it brought some warm news to Ron Paul's presidential aspirations just ahead of Iowa GOP caucuses and 2012 could bring some warmth to people living on Austin's streets.

Austin Welcomes 2012

With temperatures in the mid to upper 50s, 2012 got off to a very mild starts in Central Texas. The city of Austin's New Year's Eve bash drew thousands to Auditorium Shores and more to the First Street Bridge for the Fireworks finale. The relatively comfortable temperatures should come as no surprise to Austinites, as 2011 officially went into the books as the warmest year on record. The first days of the new year will find ranging from the low 30s to the 60s.

Paul and Romney in Virtual Dead Heat.

The Des Moines Register has published an opinion poll showing Texas Congressman Ron Paul only two points behind Mitt Romney among Iowa Republicans. The poll's sampling error of plus or minus four percent puts the two in a theoretical tie two days before the Iowa GOP hold hold its presidential caucuses. Texas governor Rick Perry is with striking distance of a third-place finish, trailing Rick Santorum by four points and Newt Gingrich by a single point.

Thermal Underwear for Austin's Homeless

Austin’s House the Homeless is hoping to keep the homeless warm with its annual Thermal Underwear Drive. On Monday, the non-profit will hand out free thermal underwear to the homeless. Thermals are easier than blankets for homeless people to carry with them. House the Homeless president Richard Troxell says the donations collected this weekend will be distributed on Monday. He says, to his count, 20 people without homes died on Austin's streets in 2011.